April is always a busy month for employment law with new minimum payment rates and legislative changes.  April 2026 is no exception.  Some of the initial provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 ( ERA ) will come into force in April, together with the annual increase in minimum rates of pay. Further there will be an increase in immigration fees.   We have updated our ERA tracker, as the timetable for implementation has shifted – see below. Below is an overview of the chan

British industry is already feeling the strain of Labour’s restrictive immigration curbs, and a move to zero net migration could exacerbate this. The Home Office continues its determination to reduce migration as last week’s Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules made clear, with tightened salary rules for sponsored workers and the first ever nationality-specific ban on student visa applications. Although the Home Office states this will be a temporary measure, does t

On 5 March the Home Office laid a Statement of Changes to the UK Immigration Rules.  Here are the key points to know from a business immigration perspective. The English language requirement will be increased for applications for settlement (ILR) submitted from 26 March 2027 in certain categories.  The current English language requirement for settlement is Level B1 (intermediate) from the Common European Framework of Reference, in speaking and listening.  The new requirement

Ahead of the implementation of key provisions of the ERA 2025, the Government is consulting with business and key stakeholders, to help shape the finer detail of the Act.   The Government has announced the latest of those consultations, relating to:  industrial action detriment;  and collective redundancy.    We recognise the importance of these consultations to our client base and therefore urge you to get involved . This is your opportunity to have your voice heard and to h

The following article first appeared in Free Movement   on 23 February, 2026. From 25 February the UK will begin enforcing pre-departure checks which require carriers to confirm that passengers have permission to travel. This has raised concern that dual British nationals who only hold a foreign passport will be denied boarding or refused entry to the UK. The headlines are frantic: “New passport rules set to affect more than one million Brits – who risk being banned from flig

As Chair of the ELA Pro Bono Committee, Partner Eliza Nash has written for this month's ELA briefing about the benefits for employment lawyers of getting involved in pro bono activities, which goes way beyond "doing good". Eliza notes that the work "can be invaluable for junior lawyers honing their skills and gaining experience in areas that they may not be exposed to in fee earning work, as well as contributing to network building". Eliza highlights a number of opportunitie

With the Employment Rights Act finally gaining Royal Assent in December 2025, we take a look at what's in store for employment law in 2026. Our updated tracker highlights some of the key changes for 2026: April 2026 New pay rates: Each April new statutory minimum rates apply for the year ahead. From 1 April 2026, minimum pay rates per hour will increase to: ·         National Living Wage: o 21 and over - £12.71 – 4.1% increase (or £977 increase per year for full time staff o

Law meets leadership: Why It’s time to rethink how we solve workplace challenges In the ever-shifting landscape of modern work, the challenges facing UK employers and employees have never been more complex or more interconnected. From navigating hybrid work and mental health expectations to dealing with AI’s impact on jobs and keeping abreast of changing regulations, every decision at work now has both a human and a legal dimension. That intersection—where leadership meets la

The Employment Rights Bill should receive Royal Assent this month.  On 28 October 2025, the House of Lords considered the House of Commons’ amendments to the Employment Rights Bill.  The Lords proposed changes to: 1.       zero-hours clauses (amending their own amendment); 2.       the day-one right to unfair dismissal protections (insisting on a 6-month qualifying period, rather than day-one); and 3.       industrial action ballot thresholds (disagreeing with the proposal t